NFL's top 25 games of 2024

Wed May 15 2:01pm ET
Field Level Media

Christmas Day for NFL marketing and ticket sales departments finally arrived Wednesday with the release of the 2024 season schedule.

With subplots and peripheral angles multiplying before our eyes - hello, Netflix, welcome to NFL holiday football broadcasts - Field Level Media's football-minded contributors assembled the top 25 games of 2024.

24. Cardinals at Jets, TBD: We're grabbing our popcorn for one matchup, and one matchup alone: Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner. Top five draft picks likely to be near the top of the pecking order at their position for a decade.

23. Colts at Patriots, TBD: Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, meet Anthony Richardson, drafted fourth overall in 2023. Indianapolis appeared to have a hit on its hands before Richardson was shut down to undergo shoulder surgery. If he can stay healthy and Maye isn't relegated to clipboard duty behind former Colts starter Jacoby Brissett, we're eager to make early evaluations of purported franchise QBs.

22. Jaguars at Eagles, TBD: Young QBs and strong pass rush are common bonds, sure, but the plotline we're looking at is the reception for Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson. He played for the Eagles (1999) but was essentially a coach-in-training for Donovan McNabb, then served as an assistant for Andy Reid and came back from a stint in KC for a five-year run that included a Super Bowl.

21. Bears at Texans, TBD: The Bears also get a meeting with the Carolina Panthers for the second consecutive season. With all due respect to Panthers 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young, the top rookie quarterback last season was Houston's C.J. Stroud. His numbers would have been the best ever single-season passing total for a Bears QB (4,108 to Erik Kramer's team record of 3,803). Stroud had 26 TD passes including the playoffs despite missing time with a concussion). The Bears hitched their wagon to No. 1 pick Caleb Williams with the rookie carrying massive talent - and expectations - in Year 1.

20. Vikings at Giants, TBD: All of the QB uncertainty one can handle on the undercard, LSU products Justin Jefferson (Vikings) and Malik Nabers (Giants) in the main event.

19. 49ers at Seahawks, TBD: Maybe you overlooked it. There's not a chance Brock Purdy did. He knows new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald's defense - that of the Ravens - had him seeing ghosts in a five-interception laugher on Christmas Night last season. Macdonald's new club has a bunch of cross-training chess pieces determined to unseat the 49ers from the NFC West perch.

18. Jets at 49ers, Sept. 9: Week 1 on "Monday Night Football" is a familiar refrain for the Jets, who are hoping Aaron Rodgers has some magic left following a season-ending injury four snaps into his first start with the team in 2023. Rodgers is local - Chico, Calif., Butte JC and Cal - and went 6-3 against the 49ers with the Packers. Now 40 years old, he'll try to tip the scales toward the Jets, who are 3-11 all-time in the series with San Francisco. Jets head coach Robert Saleh has known 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan since breaking into the NFL as a low-level assistant with the Texans 15 years ago and was defensive coordinator on his staff before taking over with the Jets.

17. Cowboys at Commanders, TBD: Dan Quinn gets his second chance as a head coach in Washington and to be the champ in the NFC East, he'll have to take down his previous employer and boss, the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy. Given the amount of time Quinn spent with McCarthy and Dak Prescott, don't discount the level of concern the Cowboys have entering two games with Washington.

16. Eagles vs. Packers (Brazil), Sept. 6: The youngest roster in the NFL last season belonged to the Packers, and nobody can fault what Green Bay did in the offseason. Head coach Matt LaFleur debuts his offense with Josh Jacobs at running back and a new-look defense. It'll also be a big reveal game for the Eagles, unleashing their own big-ticket offseason item, Saquon Barkley, and a number of new faces on defense.

15. Falcons at Vikings, TBD: Welcome back, Kirk Cousins, congratulations on finding a team that didn't want to invest in a young quarterback to insure its $100M guarantee to a 35-year-old starter coming off an Achilles injury. Oops. Cousins could be hailed or hated for bailing on the Vikings in free agency following 50 regular-season wins in six seasons of Skol-ing.

14. Ravens at Chargers, TBD: Los Angeles and new hire Jim Harbaugh welcome John Harbaugh and the Ravens with entertainment expected to be rich before, during and after a matchup of AFC heavyweights. John Harbaugh won the last meeting and survived a brief power outage at the Super Bowl in New Orleans to take home the Lombardi and deal Jim's 49ers a painful defeat.

13. Steelers at Broncos, Week 2: Revenge games bring out the spirit and emotion you might not otherwise find in games that don't include Mike Tomlin. Pittsburgh picked up Russell Wilson after he was scrapped at a cost north of $80 million to Denver by second-year head coach Sean Payton. Payton, of course, is still in town and brought in a rookie, Oregon's Bo Nix, to train in the system that helped make Drew Brees a legend. Don't look now, but Pittsburgh had a sneaky excellent offseason while the Broncos shed leaders and linchpins on both sides of the ball (Wilson, Justin Simmons, Jerry Jeudy). If reunions are your thing, Payton also heads back to New Orleans this season.

12. Jets at Bills, Week 17: We know they'll get an earlier go at each other on "Monday Night Football" In October, but let's give the season time to breath and Aaron Rodgers time to round back into form. He'll be recently removed from his 41st birthday but should know the names of all of his wide receivers, a task Josh Allen might need more time to complete.

11. Ravens at Cowboys, TBD: Dak Prescott was great at home last season and Dallas fortified the offensive line through the draft. Whether new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has an answer for mobile quarterbacks - namely Lamar Jackson - might be the hot-button issue for the Cowboys. Baltimore's No. 1-ranked defense in 2023 also traveled well last season, battering Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert and limiting those three teams to a combined 36 points in Ravens' road wins.

10. 49ers at Packers, Nov. 24: Week 12 and the start of a pivotal, NFC-dominated, primetime featured stretch for Green Bay with nighttime marquee matchups at Detroit (Week 14) and Seattle (Week 15) ahead. Jordan Love's two interceptions stopped the Packers short of an upset at San Francisco in the divisional playoffs in January.

9. Texans at Cowboys, TBD: C.J. Stroud appears to be special and the Texans made sure his supporting cast wouldn't be a reason for a sophomore slump. But one warning: only the Bills and Patriots have a more difficult schedule based on 2023 results and offseason moves. Among the appealing underlying matchups: Houston wide receiver Stefon Diggs vs. Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.

8. Bears at Packers, Jan. 5: The Week 18 finale was meaningful for Green Bay last season, and Jordan Love guided the Packers into the postseason to sweep the Bears and continue the trend Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers started. No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams makes his first foray into the likely frozen tundra. Will the Bears be playing for more than a spoiler token?

7. Dolphins at 49ers, TBD: It was Dec. 4, 2022, and far more meaningful than we knew at the time when a seventh-round rookie - 49ers QB Brock Purdy - made his first career start with two TD passes in a 33-17 home win over the Miami Dolphins. Back to the scene come the Dolphins with former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel a solid bet to share some unknown intel about old boss Kyle Shanahan in the game week buildup.

6. Ravens at Chiefs, Sept. 5: Had this one been bumped back a couple months to multiply the meaningfulness in the standings and AFC playoff picture, it had an angle on a top three game of the 2024 regular season. Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes remains must-see for all the right reasons.

5. 49ers at Bills, Dec. 4: The week-after-Thanksgiving primetime game on Sunday of Week 13 should be meaningful for teams with Super Bowl aspirations.

4. Rams at Lions, TBD: Two franchises on schedule to combine for more than $350 million in deposits into Jared Goff's bank account are back at it with Detroit out to duplicate their playoff win in January over one-time Lions QB Matthew Stafford.

3. Ravens at Eagles, TBD: Star power on display? Check-check. Potential Super Bowl preview? Sure thing. Saquon Barkley (Eagles) and Derrick Henry (Ravens) add firepower to a pair of offenses with explosive potential.

2. Lions at 49ers, TBD: Other than tackle eligible, think of another phrase that could spike Dan Campbell's temperature more than "at San Francisco." Didn't think so. The Lions were halfway to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl leading the 49ers handily in the NFC Championship but coughed up a 17-point lead and bowed out of the playoffs in a 34-31 defeat instead. If Campbell circled this game on the schedule in ink, we're guessing you can't read it.

1. (tie) Chiefs at 49ers, TBD: Familiar enough to be rivals, the Chiefs left with the jewels in recent games that really mattered between teams with a combined 50-18 record the past two regular seasons. San Francisco took a lashing from the Chiefs, 44-23, at home in Oct. 23 before the dawning of the Brock Purdy era.

1. (tie) Bengals at Chiefs, TBD: Don't forget Joe Burrow, he's more than the highest-paid player in 2024. The Bengals quarterback is 3-1 against the Chiefs but was sidelined with a broken wrist when the teams played in 2023. Don't look for a warm reception in Kansas City, where fans aren't soon to forget Burrow's boys calling the Chiefs' stadium "Burrow-head" based on his success at the home of Patrick Mahomes.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report

Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 11

Player Notes
Rhamondre Stevenson Nov 12 11:10am CT
Rhamondre Stevenson

ESPN's Dan Graziano thinks that New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) will "reclaim his former roles as the Patriots' main between-the-tackles runner" when he's healthy. Stevenson injured his toe in the Week 8 win over the Cleveland Browns and has missed the last two games. The Pats entered the week with hope that he'd return for Thursday night's game against the division-rival New York Jets, but as of Tuesday night, "it looked as if that return would likely have to wait until Week 12." Rookie TreVeyon Henderson went over 100 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns in the Week 10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Patriots "still trust the veteran Stevenson more in certain spots and would like to continue using both of them." It's not great news for Henderson's fantasy managers, but Graziano also adds that New England could look to incorporate the rookie more once Stevenson is back.

From RotoBaller

Marvin Harrison Jr. Nov 12 11:00am CT
Marvin Harrison Jr.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (appendix) underwent surgery for appendicitis and will be sidelined for "at least this week and possibly longer." It's a tough blow for the 23-year-old, who had recorded 10 catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns on 22 targets over the last two weeks. Harrison Jr. will now miss his team's Week 11 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, and it appears there's no guarantee he'll be back in Week 12 to face the Jacksonville Jaguars. Without Harrison Jr. on the field, Arizona tight end Trey McBride could see an even larger target share. Additionally, Cardinals wideout Michael Wilson could be in line for significantly more looks from quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Wilson saw a season-high seven targets in Week 10 and may be in for another target spike in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Jerry Jeudy Nov 12 10:50am CT
Jerry Jeudy

In his team's first game following their Week 9 bye, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy hauled in six of 12 targets for 78 yards and a touchdown in Week 10 against the New York Jets. It's been an inconsistent season overall for the 26-year-old, who has recorded 28 catches for 335 yards and a score on 66 targets across nine games. However, Jeudy has now earned at least 12 targets in two out of his last four games played. If Week 10 was a sign of budding chemistry between Jeudy and Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, the opportunity could be there for Jeudy to be a breakout player in fantasy over the second half of the season. Jeudy profiles as a low-end WR3/flex option heading into a Week 11 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

From RotoBaller

Jameis Winston Nov 12 10:41am CT
Jameis Winston

NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the New York Giants have elevated Jameis Winston to the No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart and expect him to start Sunday in the event Jaxson Dart (concussion) doesn't clear the concussion protocol, per The Insiders. Winston was moved ahead of Russell Wilson, as interim coach Mike Kafka informed them. Additionally, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Giants are expected to start quarterback Winston against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, sources told Schefter and Jordan Raanan of ESPN on Wednesday. In a significant turn of events, both Schefter and Rapoport have reported that it's likely Winston gets the start against the Packers. He immediately raises the ceiling of the Giants' playmakers like Darius Slayton, Theo Johnson, and Wan'Dale Robinson, compared to what Russel Wilson can bring to the table at this point in his career. Winston is a bit of a wild card, but he will bring much more excitement to the team and Sunday's matchup. In his career, he has thrown for 24,225 yards, 154 touchdowns, and 111 interceptions. He can be started as a wild card in QB2 leagues once he is confirmed to be the starter.

Bucky Irving Nov 12 10:40am CT
Bucky Irving

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (shoulder, foot) was spotted participating in the team's Wednesday morning walkthrough, according to Greg Auman of Fox Sports. Although he was never placed on Injured Reserve, Irving has missed five straight games for Tampa Bay due to shoulder and foot injuries. Irving's participation in a walkthrough does not necessarily mean he's on track to play in Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills, but it's at least a step in the right direction. Across the four games he's played in 2025, the 23-year-old has recorded 430 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 90 total touches. Irving should eventually take over as the clear RB1 in Tampa Bay once he returns to the lineup. However, the team could re-integrate him slowly alongside running backs Rachaad White and Sean Tucker until Irving is fully healthy. Fantasy managers should check back throughout the week for updates on Irving's status heading into Sunday.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Shough Nov 12 10:40am CT
Tyler Shough

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough had a breakout performance in his first career win, completing 19 of 27 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns in the 17-7 victory over the Panthers. Shough played with confidence throughout, connecting with Chris Olave on a 62-yard score in the second quarter to give the Saints the lead, and they never looked back. He later found Juwan Johnson for a 30-yard touchdown to seal the win. Shough had three completions over 25 yards, something the Saints had only achieved six times through Weeks 1-8 under Spencer Rattler. His deep-ball upside makes him a matchup-dependent streaming option, with Week 12 against the Falcons his next opportunity.

From RotoBaller

Cade Otton Nov 12 10:30am CT
Cade Otton

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton had his best game of the 2025 season in Week 10, recording nine catches for 82 yards on 12 targets against the New England Patriots. After averaging 2.8 targets per game over the first four weeks of the season, Otton has averaged 7.4 targets per contest over his last five games. The 26-year-old appears to be one of the clear beneficiaries of injuries to Buccaneers wide receivers Mike Evans (collarbone) and Chris Godwin (leg). With Evans currently on Injured Reserve and Godwin trending towards missing his fifth straight game, Otton should continue to be a featured player in Tampa Bay's passing game. He profiles as a low-end starting fantasy tight end heading into a Week 11 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Jones Nov 12 10:20am CT
Aaron Jones

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. has been limited to just five games played this season due to a hamstring injury that sidelined him from Week 3 to Week 7. However, the 30-year-old has been productive since returning to the lineup. Over his last two games, Jones Sr. has recorded 167 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 23 total touches. Perhaps most importantly, Jones Sr. appears to be re-emerging as Minnesota's lead back. In Week 10, Jones Sr. played 71% of the Vikings' offensive snaps, compared to just 25% for fellow running back Jordan Mason. Jones Sr. also saw a season-high six targets in Week 10. Heading into a favorable Week 11 matchup against the Chicago Bears, Jones Sr. profiles as a solid fantasy RB2.

From RotoBaller

Will Howard Nov 12 10:20am CT
Will Howard

The Pittsburgh Steelers have activated quarterback Will Howard (hand) from Injured Reserve and waived running back Trey Sermon to make room for Howard on the 53-man roster. A sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft, Howard fractured his hand in training camp and was placed on Injured Reserve before the start of the regular season. In his senior season at Ohio State, Howard led the Buckeyes to a national championship and threw for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions across 16 games. Howard appears likely to serve as the QB3 behind Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph in Pittsburgh, at least for the time being. The 24-year-old has some deep-league dynasty appeal due to the uncertain long-term future of the quarterback position in Pittsburgh, but Howard is unlikely to factor in redraft fantasy leagues this season.

From RotoBaller

Chris Godwin Nov 12 10:10am CT
Chris Godwin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin (fibula) is not expected to practice on Wednesday, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud. Godwin remains in "rehab mode," and early reports suggest he's trending toward a late-November or early-December return. The veteran wideout has appeared in just two games this season, contributing minimally as he continues to recover from the fractured fibula he suffered in 2024. In his absence, rookies Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson have stepped up as key targets in the passing game. The Buccaneers are expected to provide further updates on Godwin's progress later this month.

From RotoBaller

TreVeyon Henderson Nov 12 10:00am CT
TreVeyon Henderson

New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson will look to build on his breakout performance heading into Week 11. Henderson dominated the backfield in Week 10, racking up 150 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 15 touches to help lead the Patriots past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fantasy managers had been waiting for Henderson to get his opportunity, and he capitalized in a big way, playing 84% of the snaps after Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) was ruled out and Terrell Jennings (knee) exited early. With both backs still limited in practice ahead of Thursday night's matchup against the New York Jets, Henderson could be in line for a workhorse role and another big fantasy outing in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Bucky Irving Nov 12 10:00am CT
Bucky Irving

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) is not expected to practice on Wednesday, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud. Irving remains in "rehab mode" and head coach Todd Bowles stated that he has no timetable for return. The second-year back has already missed the past four games and appears likely to miss additional time as he continues to recover from injuries suffered in Week 4. With Irving trending toward another absence in Week 11's matchup against the Buffalo Bills, Rachaad White and Sean Tucker are expected to continue sharing backfield duties against a struggling Buffalo run defense.

From RotoBaller

C.J. Stroud Nov 12 9:50am CT
C.J. Stroud

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is making progress through the NFL's concussion protocol ahead of Week 11. Stroud suffered the injury on a hard hit in Week 9 and was unable to clear protocol in time for last week's matchup. In his absence, backup Davis Mills led the Texans to one of their best offensive performances of the season, throwing for 312 yards and three touchdowns in a 36-29 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Stroud's status will be worth monitoring throughout the week as Houston prepares for a divisional showdown with the Tennessee Titans. If Stroud returns, he'll look to regain form and fend off any conversations of a quarterback controversy following Mills' strong outing.

From RotoBaller

Trey Benson Nov 12 9:40am CT
Trey Benson

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) is nearing a return to action in the coming weeks. Benson underwent arthroscopic knee surgery after Week 5 and was placed on injured reserve. The typical recovery timeline for a meniscus clean-up is four to six weeks, which puts him right on schedule entering Week 11. Before the injury, Benson logged 224 scrimmage yards on 41 touches across four games while mostly serving as the backup to James Conner. With Conner now out for the season, Benson is expected to step into the RB1 role once healthy. Fantasy managers should view him as a strong buy-low candidate who could make a significant impact down the stretch.

From RotoBaller

Sean Tucker Nov 12 9:30am CT
Sean Tucker

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker will continue to see an expanded role in the coming weeks. Over his last two games, Tucker has logged 21 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown, helping fill the void left by second-year back Bucky Irving, who has missed the past four contests with foot and shoulder injuries. With no clear timetable for Irving's return, the Buccaneers will continue to rely on a tandem of Rachaad White and Tucker in the backfield. While White has handled the majority of the workload in Irving's absence, the rotation has shifted slightly toward a committee approach after head coach Todd Bowles expressed a desire to get Tucker more involved. Tucker is a name to monitor heading into Week 11 as the Bucs face a struggling Buffalo Bills run defense.

From RotoBaller

Brenton Strange Nov 12 9:30am CT
Brenton Strange

The Jacksonville Jaguars have opened the practice window for tight end Brenton Strange, who has been sidelined since suffering a hip injury in Week 5's thrilling win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Head coach Liam Coen said Monday that Strange is designated to return in Week 11 and is "hopeful" he can suit up against the Los Angeles Chargers. Before the injury, Strange was off to a promising start, catching 20 of 24 targets for 204 yards through four and a half games of action. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his practice participation this week, as Strange could be a sleeper to watch at the tight end position.

From RotoBaller

Jameis Winston Nov 12 9:23am CT
Jameis Winston

New York Giants QB Jameis Winston will start in Week 11 if QB Jaxson Dart (concussion) can't go against the Green Bay Packers.

Fantasy Spin: Winston jumps over Russell Wilson on the depth chart but wouldn't be a wise choice in fantasy against a lethal Packers pass rush.

From TheHuddle

Isaiah Likely Nov 12 9:20am CT
Isaiah Likely

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Baltimore Ravens could consider using the franchise tag on tight end Isaiah Likely. Likely is currently in the final year of his rookie contract, and would earn roughly $12 million in 2026 under the tag. After missing the start of the season with a broken foot, Likely has struggled to regain form, recording just 10 receptions for 103 yards through six games. The Ravens' tight end situation will be one to monitor next offseason, as veteran Mark Andrews is also approaching free agency. If Likely can rebound, he could emerge as one of the more intriguing tight end options on the 2026 market.

From RotoBaller

Alec Pierce Nov 12 9:10am CT
Alec Pierce

ESPN's Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler wrote about their 2026 NFL free agency early top-25 ranking and predictions. Alec Pierce has been on fire the last few weeks and is averaging a league-best 20.9 yards per catch. He can take the top off the defence and lift safeties to create opportunities in open coverages underneath. In eight healthy games played this season, he has 585 receiving yards on 28 receptions and one touchdown. Teams that Fowler and Bowen have spoken to anticipate that Pierce will be looking at a ballpark of $20 million per year, or at least a number of that magnitude not being out of the question. He has the size and speed that make him a player who can be a valuable asset for teams in the market for a wide receiver. We will see how things play out for Pierce, but he is on a trajectory that is setting him up to be a winner in the offseason.

From RotoBaller

Breece Hall Nov 12 9:00am CT
Breece Hall

ESPN's Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler wrote about their 2026 NFL free agency early top-25 ranking and predictions. According to what they are hearing, Breece Hall could secure a contract similar to Josh Jacobs, with a deal in the ballpark of a four-year, $48 million contract. Hall was very involved in speculation to be traded at the trade deadline, and the Jets stood firm on wanting a third-round pick in return for him, but they never got it. Hall is in his prime at 25 years old and brings a dual-threat element to the backfield. He has 174 receptions in his career, while averaging 92.0 total yards. He also has 82 rushes of 10 or more yards over three seasons, so he's a three-down back that can make big plays. Although we don't know which team he will be joining, this provides some insight into what the expected contract should be, barring any unforeseen developments over the next couple of months.

From RotoBaller